Biosciences degree course guide

Bioscience degrees and courses are as varied and intriguing as life itself and
our understanding is developing rapidly.

Photo: Frederic Sierakowski/Rex Features

By Tom Gockelen-Kozlowski

10:54AM BST 14 Jul 2011

"There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact." Mark Twain

What qualification do you leave with?

Most students will leave with a BSc or MSc depending on whether the programme combines a masters degree. The acception to this rule is at Cambridge where students study biology as part of the Natural Sciences Tripos which – for three years study – awards a BA qualification.

How long is the degree?

Studies can last from three to five, even six years depending on whether students study in England or Scotland, take a year in industry, combine their programme with a masters or study abroad as part of joint honours degree.

What does it cover?

From gaining a detailed understanding of the ecosystems of the African Savanna to working on the development of drugs that can halt cancerous cells dividing, biological degrees are becoming ever more varied as science develops a more sophisticated knowledge of the natural world. Students at the University of Dundee can study biological chemistry and drug discovery which gives them a grounding in the life sciences before preparing them for a career in biotechnology. Another major area of studies is marine biology and at the University of Plymouth student can take advantage of the seaside location and historic involvement in the subject (the UK's first marine biology organisation was set up in the city in 1884) to network with the many charitable, private and government organisations involved in research into the ocean. Degree programmes in Plymouth include marine biology (concentrating on organisms), marine biology and coastal ecosystems (looking at the interconnected life of the sea) and marine biology and oceanography (which looks at a more global perspective of biology). At Cambridge, all science students must take a compulsory mathematics paper in their first year before they get to choose their courses.

What can you expect?

For lovers of nature and science, biology is an opportunity to delve into the workings of life on earth.

Biology will clearly be an advantage but depending on a programme's specialisation, it isn't always essential. What is essential, however is a science and mathematics-dominated list of A-levels. Chemistry can often be the most useful.

Career prospects

From drug companies to conservation charities, there's a formidable amount of research going on in biology-related areas at the present time and work placements in many programmes allow students to develop those all-important external links with employers. Ability to analyse, critique and understand complex processes and data make biologist attractive potential employees in professions such as accountancy.

Top places to study

The latest Complete University Guide (published in April 2011) rates Cambridge, Oxford, Sheffield and Durham as the top five universities for this subject according to an index based on student satisfaction, entry standards, an assessment of the quality of the university's research and graduate prospects.